Vending-machine.



F. A. DULAC.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. s. 1916.

R m 1 N u Y x m g NIH, 0/ w N 1 WW Patented Dec. 10, 1918.

ATTO R N EV r. A. nuLAc, VENDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 5. I9I6.

Patente 1m. 10, 1918.

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F. A. DULAC.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 5. [9!6.

Patented Dec. 10, 1918.

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INVENTOR WlTNESSES ATTORNEY M mus an. mam... a.

FRED A. DULAC, OF BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT.

VENDIN G-MACHIN E.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 10, 1918.

Application filed April 5, 1916. Serial No. 89,147.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED A. DULAC,2. citizen of the United States, residing at Bristol, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vending-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to vending1 machines and has for its object to provide an apparatus which shall be both simple and accurate, easily operated and inexpensive,

A further object of the invention is toprovide a machine for vending packaged articles by a crank operating mechanism, said mechanism being normally locked against operation, but is tripped into operation when a coin of proper value only is inserted in an opening leading through a chute to the coin receptacle.

With this as the principal object in view and others to be brought out more in detail as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts now to be described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the complete machine ready for use,

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 4,

Fig. 3 is a similar View on the line 33 of Fig. 4,

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 44. of Fig. 3, and,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the upper end of the package receptacle or container.

In the accompanying drawing 10 indicates the base of the vending machine from the top of which at the rear is an upwardly projecting cabinet 11 which may be made as tall as circumstances may require. The top 12 of the base in front of the cabinet 11 is provided with a slot 13 into which a coin is placed for the purpose of purchasing a package of such goods as are dispensed by the machine.

Within the cabinet 11 and extending from near the top thereof downwardly and at a slight forward inclination into the base 10 is a package receptacle or container within which the packages to be vended' are stacked one upon another. The receptacle or container 14 is shown as made of sheet metal bent to form two closed sides and a closed back but having a vertical slot 15 in the front extending throughout its length through which the packages are visible to a purchaser or to an attendant throughan opening 16 in the front of the, cabinet just above the top 12 of the base.

Immediately below the receptacle or container 14: is a horizontally movable slide 17 having a pocket 18 therein into which the lowermost package of the stack enters. The front of the receptacle 1 1 is higher than the rear thereof, the bottom of the receptacle inclining upwardly toward the front so that the package after entering the pocket 18 will be clear of the front wall of the receptacle and may be drawn forward with the slide 17 without fear of mutilation or being caught against the front of said receptacle. The slide 17 is supported between a lower guide 19 and an upper guide 20 on each side of the base, the slide moving freely between these guides and over a shelf 21 that extends from the rear wall of the machine forwardly nearly to the front of the pocket 18 and serves to support the package to be vended within said pocket while the machine is inoperative, but when the slide is drawn forward to dispense a package, it moves beyond the front edge of the shelf 21 and permits the package to fall upon an inclined way 22 which delivers said package atthe front of the machine within convenient reach of the purchaser.

Extending across the base 10 near the front is a horizontal crank shaft 23 sup ported in bearings 24 that rise from a horizontal cross strip 25 supported at its ends by the strips 26 fastened against the sides of the bottom 10, a short distance below the lower guides 19. The crank shaft 23 is provided with a handle 27 outside of the base 10 for the purpose of turning said shaft when the slide 17 is to be drawn forward for the purpose of discharging a package. A connecting link 28 is pivoted on the crank 29 of the shaft 23 and also to a pivot 30 fastened on the front of the slide 17. When in an inoperative position the crank 29 rests in a horizontal plane, and in position ,to hold the slide 17 with the pocket 18 above the shelf 21, but when turned a halfrevolution the crank will move sufiiciently far to carry the pocket 18 in the slide beyond the shelf 21.

The top of the base 10 is preferably made of sheet metal and to the under side thereof. below the opening 13 for the coin A is secured a chute 31 through which the coin is forced to travel by a circuitous path before it finally deposited in the coin receptacle 32 supported on the cross strip 25.

The chute 31 has a thickness interiorly slightly greater "than the thickness of the coin of proper value to operate the ma chine 11K. a breadth but little greater than the diameter of said coin, the passageway through the chute being sufficient to permit the coin to travel readily from end to end. Themouth of the chute opens in'a rearward direction from the forward edge of the slot 13, facing which open mouth is a looped end 33 of an upstanding spring arm 34 which is secured at its lower end on the cross piece This arm 34 is provided with a convexedly curved portion 35 directed toward the crank shaft 23 and at such distance in rear thereof that a rectangular notch in one side of said arm at the convened portion will engage a finger 37 projecting rearwardly from the shaft 23 and lock said shaft against rotation in either direction, this engagement being shown in Fig. 2. In this position of the spring arm 34 the looped upper end 33 lies close to the mouth of the chute 31 so that when a coin is placed in the slot 13 and pushed downwardly, said coin bearing against the forward edge of said slot presses the upper end 33 of the arm 34 rearwardly sufficiently far to cause the notch 36 to disengage the finger 37, whereupon the crank shaft 23 may be turned by the handle 27 to draw the slide 17 with a package inthe pocket thereof beyond the support offered by shelf 21 and permit the package to drop on the inclined way 22 and out of the machine. Unless the coin is of sufficient diameter, the arm 34 will not be forced rearwardly sufliciently far for the finger 37 to be disengaged from the notch 36. As a means for readily adjusting the upper end of the arm 34, so that it will move the proper distance, this upper end 33 is bent forwardly into a loop as shown. The loop is U-shaped the short end 38 being directed downwardly and may be bent to or from the mouth of the chute 31, more or less as will be required to swing the arm 34 backwardly a sufficient distance to disengage the finger 37 from the notch 36 in said arm. A fiat spring 39 bears against the rear side of the arm to give the same additional resiliency. When in inoperative position, the finger 37 prevents the crank shaft 23 from being turned in either direction as said finger will engage the upper and lower edges of the notch, but when a coin of proper value is inserted in the slot 13 and the arm 34 moved backwardly, thereby to disengage the finger 37, the crank shaft is free to turn and deliver the package, after which continued rotation of the crank shaft will cause an arm, cam or eccentric-like member 40 on the crank shaft to bear upon the convex portion 35 of the arm 34 and push said arm farther to the rear, thus releasing the coin from its engagement between the front edge of slot 13 and loop 33 and permit said coin to fall through the chute 31 into the coin receptacle 32. Continuing the rotation of the crank shaft 23, the member 40 will pass out of contact with the arm 34 and the latter through its resiliency will return to its normal posit-ion, so that the notch 36 may again engage with and lock the finger 37 as soon as the latter is brought into line therewith. The shaft 23 has a crank arm 41 on its end opposite end handle 27 that projects in an upward direction when the machine is in inoperative position and to this arm is connected a contractile spring 42 that is attached to the side of the base 10 near the rear thereof and serves to impart a pressure rotation to the shaft 23 as soon as the finger 37 thereon, has been released from the notch in the arm 34. This movement need not be great, but is suflicient to remove the finger 37 helow the notch and away from any possibility of its engaging the same should the coin be forced down the chute. By this movement the package delivery slide is also started in its forward direction. The tension of spring 42 may be sufficient to move the shaft 23 and the parts connected thereto to the position shown in Fig. 3, or until the arm 41 and spring 42 aline with the axis of shaft 23. Upon further rotation of the shaft by means of the crank 27, the package will be delivered, the coin released to pass down the chute and later the arm 41, as the shaft rotates, will pass above the axis of the shaft so that the spring 42 under tension, will assist in returning the parts to normal position.

A slide 43 is mounted in guides 44 on the underside of the metal portion of the base top 12 in rear of the coin slot 13 and is normally held in a forward position to close said slot by a spring 45 connected to said slide and to a pin fastened to the top. This slide is moved by the coin to uncover the slot 13 upon the insertion of the coin in said slot and immediately closes after the latter has passed into the chute 31.

The front 46 of the cabinet 11 is hinged to said cabinet as shown and secured by a look as also is the front 47 of the base 10. These fronts are opened by an attendant to refill the container 14 and to collect the coins from the coin tray 32.

I claim:

1. A coin controlled operating means for vending machines comprising a rotatable crank shaft, a coin chute, a resilient arm extending at its free end across the entrance to the coin chute and adapted to be placed under tension by a coin inserted in the mouth of said chute, the tension of said arm holding said coin from prematurely descending the chute, locking means between said shaft and the resilient arm to prevent rotation of said shaft, said locking means adapted to be disengaged from the arm upon inserting the coin in the coin chute, and means on said shaft adapted to act on said arm as the shaft is rotated to release the coin and permit said arm to return to looking position.

2. A coin controlled operating means for vending machines comprising a rotatable crank shaft, a finger on said crank shaft, a coin chute, a resilient arm fixed at one end for partly closing by its free end the mouth of the coin chute and having means between said ends to engage the finger on said crank shaft and lock said shaft against rotation, said arm adapted to be moved to' disengage said finger and release the shaft for rotation by the insertion of a coin in the mouth of the coin chute, the coin in turn being held from prematurely descending the coin chute by said arm, and a member on said shaft adapted to act upon said resilient arm as the shaft is rotated to disengage the coin and permit it to descend the chute and further to permit the arm to return to normal position to engage said finger.

3. A coin controlled operating means for vending machines comprising a rotatable crank shaft, a coin chute, a resilient arm fixed at one end and extended at its other end across the mouth of the coin chute, and having a locking notch below said free end, said arm being movable and tensioned upon the insertion of a coin in the mouth of the coin chute which arm in turn holds the coin from prematurely descending the chute, a finger projecting from said shaft adapted to engage under normal conditions said looking notch to hold the shaft against rotation until released by the movement of said arm upon the insertion of a coin in the chute, a cam member on said shaft adapted to further tension said resilient arm to disengage the coin held thereby and permit said arm to return to normal position to engage said finger, and spring means connected to said crank shaft to assist in.

actuating the same during a portion of its rotation.

i. A coin controlled operating means for vending machines comprising a rotatable crank shaft, a finger on said shaft, a coin chute, a resilient arm fixed at one end and having an adjustable finger at its free end partly closing the coin chute, said arm being curved toward the crank shaft intermediate its ends and having a notch in said curved portion to engage said finger and lock said shaft against rotation, said finger being disengaged from the notch when the arm is moved by the insertion of a coin in the coin chute, and a spring connected to. said shaft to assist in rotation of the same during a portion of its revolution.

5. A coin controlled operating means for vending machines comprising a rotatable crank shaft, a finger on said shaft, a coin chute, a resilient arm fixed at one end and having a finger at its opposite free end crossing a portion of the mouth of said coin chute to hold the inserted coin from passing into the chute until the article vended has been delivered, said arm having a curved portion directed toward said shaft in which is formed a notch to engage the finger on the crank shaft and prevent rotation of said shaft until the same is released by movement of said arm upon the insertion of a coin in the coin chute, and an eccentric member on said shaft adapted to engage said arm andfurther tensioning it to release said coin and permit it to descend the chute and also to permit said arm toreturn into position for again engaging said finger to lock the shaft.

6. In a vending machine, the combination of a horizontal crank shaft adapted to deliver articles to be vencled, a coin chute, a spring arm fixed at one end and extending at its other across the mouth. of the coin chute, said arm having a locking notch formed therein, a finger projecting from said shaft to engage said locking notch and hold the shaft against rotation, a-spring attached to the crank shaft for partly rotating the same when the finger has been released from the notch by the Insertion of a coin in the mouth of the coin chute, and an eccentric member alsocarried by said shaft to press upon said resilient armto release the coin and permit the return of said arm in position to engage said finger and lock the shaft from rotation.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRED A. DULAC.

Witnesses:

FREDK. L. lVILLrAMs, J on AUCLAI.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. 0. i 

